Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

[Rex_Rocker]

I'm getting an LTD EC-401 as part of a trade. The owner and I agreed that he's keeping the pickups he currently has in it, though, so I'm going to have to drop some pickups in it. I've already got an A4 '59B for the neck, but I want something for the bridge position. I'm a big fan of the Duncan Distortion and Black Winter, but I've already got guitars loaded with those, so I want something different in this. I'm going to be playing metal tuned to C.

I want something along those lines, though. I want a cutting emphasis on high mids, but I also want something thicker and less attacky this time around. I think I'm leaning more towards something Alnico-based than ceramic for a touch more chewiness, but I am not against ceramic suggestions either. I want chunky, squishy low mids, but I don't want an overly fat low-end. I don't want a nasal midrange, though, so no Tone Zone for me. I want some chunk, but not at the expense of clarity. I want high output too so that it can keep up with my Distortion/BW-loaded guitars without having to adjust settings drastically.

So far my candidates are:
JB - I know I like this pickup, but I suspect it's not going to be powerful enough to keep up with my Distortion and Black Winter.
Suhr Aldrich - On paper, it seems like a hotter, fuller JB. Might be just the ticket, but can it keep up with heavy-hitting ceramics?
Alternative 8 - Yet another JB-ish candidate on paper. I guess this might be a safer bet as far as output goes, but I have a feeling the low-end might be overkill for an all-mahogany guitar, or would it?
Gibson 500T - Kinda left-field, I guess. Not Alnico and doesn't seem very warm on the clips, but I've been curious about this pickup for quite some time.

Is there anything else I should be looking at? Anything from DiMarzio?

Thanks.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Custom? Or maybe Custom 5?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Lace Deathbucker?

Aldrich IS like a hotter/fuller JB. Might be a nice choice.

Alternative 8 would have plenty of thump, but I doubt it would be too much.

A lot of people down-tune with the Custom.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Thanks for the replies!

I've tried the standard ceramic Custom some time ago, and I thought it was kinda bassy and sizzly. I'd prefer something a bit less open and a bit more mid-focused.

I really like what I'm hearing of the Aldrich, TBH. Sounds like a more throaty, fuller JB.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Thanks for the replies!

I've tried the standard ceramic Custom some time ago, and I thought it was kinda bassy and sizzly. I'd prefer something a bit less open and a bit more mid-focused.

I really like what I'm hearing of the Aldrich, TBH. Sounds like a more throaty, fuller JB.

You do love your hot pickups Rex! Mine has a Super3, and I kept the 36th Anniversary in the neck. I think it sounds killer myself, crank the gain, treble, mids and still never gets harsh. Just tons of harmonics and saturation goodness

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Ah, the Super 3 seems interesting! I like the idea of the super hot wind. Is it really as dark as they say?

 

[weepingminotaur]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

You might want to consider a Nazgul. It has the thick midrange focus you want, with good attack and clarity, and it was designed for low tunings, at least as per SD.

 

[BenPerkins]

Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Just my two cents in case it helps. I have the same guitar, with a ‘59 in the Neck and WLH Bridge (using triple shot rings). I tune to C, play through an OR15 (mostly Sabbath type stuff) or tune to B (Bill Steer rules). Distortion sometimes added to tighten up the gain. This setup works pretty well for this use.

 

[chris effect]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

I want a cutting emphasis on high mids, but I also want something thicker and less attacky this time around.

That's how the nazgul in my ec-1000 is, as compared to the black winter in my other ec-1000. Might be worth a try

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Thanks for the replies, dudes!

I've actually got a WLH lying around. I fear it's not going to be fierce enough, though.

The Nazgul has my attention as well, but from the clips, it seems like it is even brighter than the Black Winter/Distortion?

 

[chris effect]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

It sounds brighter in the 2015 Keith Merrow comparison video, but I haven't seen any other vids with it being that thin sounding. This is a good vid for the comparison showing the subtle differences.

 

[Despair]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

PATB-2 Parallel Axis Distortion? Thicker, but searing upper mids. Least shrill ceramic pickup I can think of. Gonzo metal pickup. Absolute flamethrower, but with some curious harmonic properties that make it ridiculously responsive for lead lines at same time. Tends to compress a lot due to extreme output, but due to mid-spike and parallel axis harmonic extension, not go flat and boring because of it.

Depending on pick articulation, can be quite squishy attack, but articulate when you need it to be.

Gibson 500T is a bit like a Distortion, but with an interesting grain in the midrange. A bit more low-end, as well, IIRC. One of several popular options for pre-EMG Hetfield tones.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

So far my candidates are:
JB - I know I like this pickup, but I suspect it's not going to be powerful enough to keep up with my Distortion and Black Winter.
- WTF do you mean 'Keep Up'. Seriously? Distortion and BW are hardly Nuclear powered. I would avoid JB because ultra low tuning/bass, but not for power.

Suhr Aldrich - On paper, it seems like a hotter, fuller JB. Might be just the ticket, but can it keep up with heavy-hitting ceramics?
- Again; lack of power? Really?

Alternative 8 - Yet another JB-ish candidate on paper. I guess this might be a safer bet as far as output goes, but I have a feeling the low-end might be overkill for an all-mahogany guitar, or would it?
- Depends on the mahogany. What the heck are you using to "rate" output???

Gibson 500T - Kinda left-field, I guess. Not Alnico and doesn't seem very warm on the clips, but I've been curious about this pickup for quite some time.
- Nothing left field. It's the same as the Distortion almost. If you want different this is NOT it.

I'm sure there are a lot of things you should be looking at. But I'm not quite sure exactly what is gonna have your tone profile at that low tuning. Maybe a Custom 8?

 

[weepingminotaur]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Only my own experience, but I don't think the Nazgul is brighter than the Winter. It's got definition, but it's not overly bright to me. It "chugs" real nice. If anything the Winter is the brighter of the two IMO.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

What the heck are you using to "rate" output???

Magnet strenght? Since they all seem to have similar DCR's...

 

[Drunken Bowling]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Is this the thinner-bodied 401 or the thicker-bodied 401VF? If it's the thinner body, the C5 seems like an appropriate choice.
If it's the thicker bodied 401VF, I'd go with the Aldrich. The VF came with a JB factory installed, so either JB or Aldrich should be good.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for an LTD EC-401

Thanks! It's the thinner body 401 with 24 frets.

Don't really like the clips I've heard of the C5, but I'll listen some more. I don't really want too much low-end.